Gov. Gavin Newsom blocks parole for man convicted of 1989 Santa Cruz County murder

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday blocked parole for a man convicted of a 1989 murder in Santa Cruz County, arguing the convicted killer is still dangerous.

The man, Lance Badgett, admitted he and his brother plotted to kill and dismember their friend, Michael Palmer, to prevent him from outing them to authorities. Then-19-year-old Badgett and his brother, John, were hiding out in California with Palmer, trying to evade Texas authorities who had warrants for the brothers’ arrest.

Badgett shot Palmer in the head and his brother dismembered the body, according to Newsom’s office.

Palmer’s severed head, hands and feet were found on the beach at Greyhound Rock in Santa Cruz County, television station KSBW reported.

Badgett was convicted of first-degree murder and has been incarcerated for more than three decades.

Newsom’s decision reverses a ruling by the Board of Parole Hearings in July to grant Badgett parole. The board had previously denied him parole in 2017.

In his decision rejecting parole, Newsom acknowledged Badgett’s efforts to improve himself in prison, including earning his GED and participating in anti-drug and anti-violence programs.

But Newsom said Badgett has “not yet demonstrated sufficient insight into why he participated in this crime and how he will avoid repeating similar behavior in the future.”

Newsom also noted Badgett’s history with drugs, including using methamphetamine in the days leading up to the murder. Badgett also admitted to using heroin in prison as recently as 2015, according to Newsom.

The psychologist who reviewed Badgett’s case earlier this year rated Badgett a moderate risk for future violence.

“I agree with this assessment, and encourage Mr. Badgett to work on deepening his understanding of what triggered his violent responses in the past so he can avoid repeating violent behavior in the future,” Newsom wrote. “Until he develops his insight, I do not believe he can be safely released into the community.”

Correction: This story was updated on Dec. 2, 2019 to reflect that the California Parole Board recommended Badgett for parole, but Newsom reversed the decision. The board previously denied Badgett parole in 2017.

This story was originally published November 30, 2019 at 3:17 PM.